Becoming a Witch for Dummies
by theawesomealto
Summary: Long ago there were many different types of magic. There was wand waving magic, like that of Harry Potter, there was bending of the elements, and then a select few were able to cast magic without wands or elements. My name is Katharine Evans and this is my story of discovering these types of magic.


Chapter one:

Long ago there were many different types of magic. There was wand waving magic, like that of Harry Potter, there was bending of the elements, and then a select few were able to cast magic without wands or elements. My name is Katharine Evans and this is my story of discovering these types of magic. I was just a normal high school student from Colorado. Everything changed the summer before my 16th birthday. For everyone who knows the story of Harry Potter, this would have been the summer in between his fourth and fifth year.

"Kate," my friend Sadie, whose bed I was setting on one day while we were "studying" for finals after school, was ranting about her latest man candy so I didn't feel the need to listen, "are you even listening to me?"

"What? Oh, sorry."

"You seem distracted today. What's up?" I sighed. I had been feeling like this for a long time.

"Do you ever get that feeling when you can tell that something in your life is going to change, something big?" I knew that my life was about to undergo a major transformation and that scared me a little.

"I do," Sadie said, trying to be comforting but failing, "but I know that whatever happens, there's a reason for it." She smiled at me and for a few seconds I thought she and I would have a conversation that didn't revolve around her newest boy toy. But I was wrong. She continued to talk about her man and I continued to "listen."

"So Kate, when are you gonna get a guy for yourself?" Sadie was always trying to hook me up with guys but I was too focused on school. I had enough to deal with (choir, DP classes, drama club, etc.) and I didn't need one more thing piled on to my already full load.

"Look, when I date someone, I want to actually, I don't know, see them. I barely have time to sleep let alone date. You know that." We continued studying and then I walked back to my house where I would be alone. My mom and I lived on our own (my parents split when I was four and my dad now lives 30 miles away with my step mom, step sister, and half sister) and my mom wouldn't be home from work until around 7 so I had a few hours to myself for homework and Facebook and what-not. I was meant to have the house to myself be when I walked into my kitchen I found my mom sitting next to my dad, both of them talking to a tall man with a long silver beard. He had ice blue eye, a crooked nose, wore a light blue silky looking robe, and glasses that sat near the end of his nose.

"Kate, dear, this is Professor Dumbledore and he just told us that you were accepted to a school in England." my dad was explaining to me as my mother nearly choked me in a hug.

"We are so proud of you!" she said, sounding a bit choked up. I was too confused for words and way to over-whelmed by seeing my parents together to process the strange man in my house.

"Mr. and Mrs. Evans, why don't you give Kate and me a few minutes alone; she looks very confused and I would like a chance to speak with her." I had no idea who this man was and my mom and dad were just going to leave me alone with him? The only thing I knew about him was that he had an English accent, that's it.

"Miss Evans," he said, gesturing toward the living room, "do you believe in magic?"

"Like the song? 'Do you believe in magic in a young girl's heart, how the music can free her whenever it starts,'" he didn't look amused at my musical outburst. "Sorry. What kind of magic?" he looked at me for a long time then he finally spoke.

"Have you ever had a feeling that something big was about to happen?" I nodded. "When you feel a powerful emotion, do strange things happen?" I nodded again. "Katharine, you are a witch."

"I'm a what now?" before I was confused now there wasn't even a word to explain the mass amounts of chaos going on in my head.

"My dear, I am the headmaster of a school in England, a school for witches and wizards, like you. It has come to the attention of the wizarding world that an American, you, is able to perform magic. I am offering a chance to learn how to use that magic." If anyone had told me this, I would have kicked him in the balls and call 911 but something about this man told me that he wasn't crazy. I could tell he meant business but also wanted to help me learn exactly how to be a witch. He told me to think about what he said and that after I took my final exams, he would come back and explain the school further and like that he was gone, he didn't even walk to the door, he just turned on spot and disappeared.

A week later, after my finals the man, Dumbledore, returned, just as he said.

"Have you thought about what I told you a few days ago?" he asked me. I was home alone until he showed up so he could talk openly about magic and wizards.

"I have and," I paused. I hadn't given much thought to his visit actually. I was too concerned with finals to bother but I had to give him an answer, "and I have decided to go to the school." He gave me an easy, half smile.

"I'm glad to hear it. Now normally our new students are eleven so instead of having you join the class of first years next year, over the summer I will teach you myself so that come fall you can join the fifth year class. That means that you will have to spend the summer in Europe. Do you still wish to attend Hogwarts?" Hogwarts, I assume was the name of the school. I nodded. I mean who wouldn't want to spend their summer in Europe?

That night I picked a trunk that Dumbledore gave to me (clothes, books, my laptop, iPod, etc.), I said goodbye to my family and got on a long ass flight to London.

Ever since I was little, I wanted to go to London. I wanted to see Buckingham Palace, the red phone booths, everything but when my plane landed Dumbledore took me to get my trunk at the baggage claim and took me to a deserted hallway.

"Now Miss Evans, if you would please grab my upper arm," he offered me his right bicep and I did as I was told, "Hold on tight, my dear." I barley had time to get a grip on him after that. He spun right on the spot and the two of us were being shoved down what felt like a giant rubber tube that was just a little too small. I closed my eyes. My head was spinning; I felt like my eyes might be squeezed out of my skull and then we stopped. I opened my eyes to see that we were standing in a dingy courtyard surrounded by a few houses and I noticed a street sign. _Grimmauld Place. _I looked around and house Number 11, Grimmauld Place and Number 13, Grimmauld Place but no Number 12.

"Um, Professor, where are we?" I looked at my new head master and he just smiled back at me.

"This is Number 12, Grimmauld Place, Headquarters to the Order of the Phoenix." I was about to point out that there was no Number 12 on this street but when I looked back at the row of houses, there it was, a grimy looking house with a beat up old door.

"Now, now, Miss Evans, let's not stay outside all night, the Order is excepting us and we shouldn't keep them waiting." Dumbledore lead the way though the house. We went up the worn stone steps and (after Dumbledore tapped it with his wand, which led to a series of clicks) through the black and tattered front door. I pulled my heavy trunk through the door and as I gave it one last pull, I knocked over a coat rack and once it hit the floor all hell broke loose. Someone in the house gave out a blood-curdling scream; it was shrill and the screamer started to yell things like "Mud blood, filth," stuff like that. I followed the old man though a dimly light hallway (there were head mounted on the walls, mounted like deer heads but they were most defiantly_ not_ deer; they were creatures that were kind of a dingy flesh color and they had big baseball sized eyes, skinny little necks, and big ears) and went down a flight of stairs. At the foot of the stairs was a kitchen, full of smells and light and noise. I walked though the door and the noise seemed to stop immediately.

The kitchen was full of people, all doing various things but the second I came into the room all eyes were stuck to me like glue.

"Everyone," Dumbledore spook softly, but everyone heard him, "this is Miss Katharine Evans. Miss Evans, this is the Order of the Phoenix." I gave the room a weak smile.

"Katharine, it is a pleasure to meet your dear!" a redheaded woman who was about my height and about my mother's age came quickly toward me and gave me a brief hug. "My name is Molly Weasley and this is my husband Arthur."

"Nice to meet you. It's Kate, actually." I told the woman (and the whole room) my name preference.

"Oh, of course it is dear. Now, come, let me introduce you to my family." She took me by the arm and led me away from the door. "Kate, these are my children," she said, gesturing toward the big wooden table (and most the people sitting in at the table had red hair so I think I would be able to tell who was a Weasley and who wasn't) "This is Ginny, Fred, George, and Ron." She pointed at each person and they all looked around my age. Ginny looked nice enough but something about her rubbed me the wrong way. Our personalities are probably vastly different and that's where the dislike is coming from. Fred and George, who are twins, seemed like they were planning something; they looked at me like I was one giant puzzle. They were planning something mischievous…I could tell. Finally, Ron. He didn't seem to like me for some reason; he looked at me with hate in his eyes and I just met him.

"Kate?" I heard a soft voice behind me. I turned and looked at the speaker; she was a little shorter then I was, had frizzy mousey hair similar to mine (but I always have my hair up because a) my hair is crap and b) when its up, it's out of the way) and she had a small smile on her face. "I'm Hermione Granger and I've heard so much about you and I want you to know that if you need anything at all, even help with school, I can help." She said all of the so fast and in one breath …wow.

I started to mumble a reply but someone said, "Jeez, Hermione, she just got here. Let her breathe." I sighed and a boy who was roughly my height came over to shake me hand. "Sorry about her. She's been looking forward to you coming for a while." I was so confused. Why was everyone so unsurprised by me coming here? Where they expecting me? Where can I lie down and sleep? After hours of travel the only things that matter are the blanket and pillow I need to pass out with. "I'm Harry, by the way, Harry Potter." I shook his hand as he smiled at me; I gave a weak smile in return. Something about Harry made me feel at ease and my earlier panic leveled off a bit when he stood next to me.

"Well now that everyone is acquainted, shall we begin our meeting?" Dumbledore spoke as if he sensed my discomfort. All the adults nodded and the teenagers all head for the kitchen door. I started to follow after them but Mr. Weasley took my arm and led me to a chair at the meeting table. I glanced back at the door to find Ron glaring at me just before the door closed.

"Um….shouldn't I be going with the other-" I began, but Mr. Weasley cut me off.

"Nonsense, Kate. You are the reason we are all here tonight." I gave him a look of confusion then Dumbledore spoke.

"Now Katharine, what do you know about magic?" For what felt like hours, the Order taught me spells, jinxes, counter curses, and anything else you could think of (I had already gotten a wand so the Order wasted no time). They taught me wand work, stances, and then it came time of the history portion of the lesion.

"Now Katharine, before we let you turn in for the night, you have to know something." Dumbledore's tone was comforting but I had a feeling that his next statement wouldn't be. "The wizarding world is not safe." Great. "We are at war and we need help…your help."

"I'm sorry?" I can't save the wizarding world, I can barely keep my eyes open. I was about to say how crazy everyone in the room is but someone else began to speak.

"Kate," a man from the corner of the room said (he had dark kind of long hair and looked like he had had a rough life…I think his name was Sirius…he hadn't talked much in the early magic lessons) "What do you know about prophecies?"

"Not much. I always thought that they were a myth but…" my thoughts began to trail off.

"The Order has reason to believe that you will be a great force in the war. A prophecy has been made that predicts you changing the outcome of the war and we want you to be aware that people out there will try and use you for your power."

"People like Lord Voldemort?" I asked. I didn't know much about Voldemort; I only knew that he was killing a ton of people and was the cause of the war; I only guessed he wasn't on the Order's side and that the Order wanted me to help them. The room nodded.

"Well, Kate dear, I think it's time for you to go to bed." Mrs. Weasley led me out of the room quickly and showed me to my room.

In my room I saw three beds. On one was Ginny, on the second was Hermione, and on the last bed there was Harry and Ron. I walked into the room and once again it fell silent. Maybe my European summer wasn't going to be as fun as I thought.

Under normal circumstances, I would've walked into the room saying "Hey, stop talking shit about me," as a joke to break the ice. In the past, even if said room of people was talking about me, it made them laugh and we were all able to move on with our day. But this time it was different. I was too tired to make a joke to defuse the tension in the room. Instead I walked over to the bed where Harry and Ron were sitting (Ginny and Hermione were both under the covers in the other beds so I assumed the boys were sitting on mine), took a pillow and blanket off the bed, and went back downstairs to find a couch to pass out on. If the other teenagers in the house wanted to gossip about me I'll let them. As long as I can sleep I really don't care. As I was wandering the house I ran into Dumbledore. Before he could scold me about not being in bed, I began to ramble about all my concerns that revolved round being joining the wizarding world. When will I see my family again? My friends? What happens after the war is over? Can I go and be a normal teenager then? Do I have to stay here with strange people I don't know? I would be lying if I said that I didn't have doubts about going to Hogwarts. I think the headmaster saw me starting to change my mind about going when he came up with a new idea: one that might ease my mind and help me find some sort of normalcy in this crazy world I just fell into.

"Miss Evans, would it make your time with us easier if you stayed enrolled in your current high school and took their classes…what's the muggle word for it…online?" Shocked. Once again I was at a loss for words. "There is no telling when this war will be over or when you will be able to return to your family but that does not mean, however, that we would ask you to stop all of your plans for the future for a world that you know so little about. At least this way you can keep up with your muggle studies and not have your entire life change all at once."

"Thank you, Professor." I finally said when I regained control of my brain. "Staying in high school would make all of this a lot easier."

"Very well. You are aware of how much work it will be then, yes? O. and DP are both a lot of work. Are you positive this is what you want?"

"Yes sir. I'm sure I can handle it." I wasn't entire sure if I could do it but if I could throw myself into a pile of work, it would keep me focused and somewhat calm.

The next day, my tutoring began. Members of the Order taught me various subjects. A short half goblin half wizard taught me a subject called Charms. It seemed to be your basic bibbidi-bobbidi-boo spell work and I was able to learn the subject quickly. Another man, who was tall and kinda greasy looking, taught me Potions. That wasn't to hard; it was like chem and cooking mixed and I always had a book to tell me what to do so it was simple enough. Transfiguration, History of Magic, and Defense Against the Dark Arts were all completely different stories. The History of Magic conflicted with the history I had grown up with so this new timeline was hard to accept. Transfiguration was just hard all together, and Defense Against the Dark Arts just made me want to learn hand-to-hand combat; it seemed easier. There were more subjects that I'd have to learn (one's about plants and the other is about creatures of some sort) but through the weeks that I'd been at headquarters, the Order seemed to think I would be able to handle myself once school started.

Hermione, on the other hand, had taken it upon herself to see to it that I become nearly as smart as she is. When she wasn't forced to clean by Mrs. Weasley, she was teaching me something. She was an awful teacher but it was nice to have one person my own age that didn't shoot me daggers every time they looked at me.

The weeks leading up to school were really uneventful. I had to learn 4 years of magic, had two essays to write, and all my summer reading. All this schoolwork during the summer might have upset most teenagers but not me. I have always loved burying myself in a mountain of work to avoid things. Math homework never started rumors about you, essays never glared at you. Working just makes sense to me. I was fine until Harry had his hearing at the ministry.

"Kate? What are you doing up this early?" I was reading _The Catcher in the Rye_ in the kitchen when Harry came down for an early breakfast.

"I'm doing work for my school back home. And I'm still on American time so I'm on a weird sleep schedule." That was partly true. If I really wanted to I could adjust to the time change but I really didn't see a reason to. The more time I could spend alone, the more likely I was to stay. I still had no idea why the Order needed me. I'm only 15. How the hell am I supposed to stop a war?

"Oh, Kate dear, I didn't know you were awake." Mrs. Weasley said as she bounced nervously over to Harry. "Doesn't it ever lie flat?" Mrs. Weasley began fussing over Harry's hair. In my short time in knowing the famous Harry Potter, I feel like I could really relate to him. He was also a big piece in this possible war and he was kept in the dark like I was. Harry let out his frustrations from time to time by yelling at Ron and Hermione. Most of the time they didn't deserve it but other times I wanted to join in the yelling. Ron treats me like shit and I didn't do anything to him so I would love to rip him a new one but, instead, I did my schoolwork and tried to stay out of the way. I was new here and I didn't want to over stay my welcome.

"Well, wish me luck." Harry had (reluctantly) eaten some breakfast and was now off to his hearing. I wished him luck, along with all the other Order members who were in the kitchen (I hadn't noticed them before now) and Harry and Mr. Weasley were off to the Ministry of Magic. Once they left and the house calmed down, I got back to reading. I was near the end of the book and I couldn't help but noticed how similar Harry and Holden are. They are both just a super tight ball of teen angst. I finished the book and went up to my room to get my next assignment.

"Where's Harry?" I ran into Ron on the stairs and he seemed surprised to see me. Or maybe he was surprised to see Harry gone.

"He already left." I didn't like having to be alone with Ron but whenever I was around him I was as polite as possible.

"Oh, brilliant."

"Is everything alright?" he looked worried.

"Yeah, I just wanted to wish him good luck." That was… sweet of him.

"I'm sure everything will be fine." I smiled at him and continued to my room. I still had to read 4 novels and perfect a few charms and, at some point, I had to learn how to fly. Ugh.

"Oh Kate! I was worried when you weren't in your bed. What have you been doing?" When I opened the door to our room, Hermione practically ran into me. She had a tendency to think I've gone missing and this latest episode had woken up Ginny, who looked less then pleased to see me.

"I was downstairs reading. I'm fine."

"Still, you should have left a note or woken one of us up. With Harry's hearing today, I don't need anything else to worry about." Hermione was clearly the only friend I had made in the house but I didn't need her to look after me. I was about to tell her as much when Mrs. Weasley came into the room.

"Kate, dear. We need you downstairs. It's time for you to get sorted." I didn't have time to ask what being sorted meant before Hermione, Mrs. Weasley, and even Ginny were dragging my back to the kitchen.


End file.
